Myself- Edgar Albert Guest

 I have to live with myself and so
 I want to be fit for myself to know.
 I want to be able as days go by,
 always to look myself straight in the eye;
 I don't want to stand with the setting sun
 and hate myself for the things I have done.
 I don't want to keep on a closet shelf
 a lot of secrets about myself
 and fool myself as I come and go
 into thinking no one else will ever know
 the kind of person I really am,
 I don't want to dress up myself in sham.
 I want to go out with my head erect
 I want to deserve all men's respect;
 but here in the struggle for fame and wealth
 I want to be able to like myself.
 I don't want to look at myself and know that
 I am bluster and bluff and empty show.
 I never can hide myself from me;
 I see what others may never see;
 I know what others may never know,
 I never can fool myself and so,
 whatever happens I want to be
 self respecting and conscience free

  The first person perspective make makes the poem more intimate right of the bat. Guest talks about how he hates himself for the things that he has done that can bring himself to think about what he has done. He knows that being true to himself means that he has to be truthful to others, starting with, "a lot of secrets about myself".  Edgar realizes that he doesn't want to dress up and be someone that he is not, but he struggles "for fame and wealth". He longs to hold his head up high and be proud of himself.

   Guest shows us what most of society today internally fight with themselves about on a daily basis. The title "Myself", shows that in order to do better in life and to be proud of oneself, one has to start framing and molding themselves into the people that they would like to be. They cannot go through life "putting on a sham" and blaming the world about the person that they have become. "I want to be self respecting and conscience free", I believe Edgar would like to accept himself as a person instead of making it a chore, thinking up reasons why he shouldn't be accepted. 
   Edgar vocabulary gives a different insight into the poem, " I want to deserve all men's respect", he does not want to "earn" men's respect he wants to deserve, meaning that he will learn to be confidant in himself and others will admire him for that. in admiration others will give him the respect that he "deserves".





http://allpoetry.com/poem/8471343-Myself-by-Edgar-Albert-Guest